With a few ill-chosen words, the head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has effectively tarred every provincial cabinet minister across the country as a possible foreign spy.

With a few ill-chosen words, the head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has effectively tarred every provincial cabinet minister across the country as a possible foreign spy.

“We're in fact a bit worried in a couple of provinces that we have an indication that there's some political figures who have developed quite an attachment to foreign countries,” Richard Fadden said in an interview with CBC that aired Tuesday night. “In at least two provinces, there are ministers of the Crown who we think are under at least the general influence of a foreign government.”

Which politicians or which provinces? He wouldn’t say. Which foreign governments? Again, he wouldn’t say, although he essentially confirmed that China is one of them in response to a question from the interviewer (Peter Mansbridge).

By Wednesday, Fadden was in full retreat. “At this point, CSIS has not deemed the cases to be of sufficient concern to bring them to the attention of provincial authorities,” he said in a statement.

In other words, he was blowing smoke, perhaps in order to reinforce his pitch for more funding for CSIS to conduct counter-espionage. In the process, he has undermined his own credibility and cast unwarranted suspicion on provincial politicians. At the very least, he should be severely reprimanded by his political masters in Ottawa.

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